Bicycle



(No Model.)

W. H. CASTLE.

v BICYCLE I No. 601,613. Patented Mar. 29., 1 898.

ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. CASTLE, OF WEEDSPORT, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THE GENEVA CYCLE COMPANY, OF GENEVA, OHIO.

BICYCLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 601,613, dated March 29, 1898.

Application filed November 9, 1896- Serial No. 611,553. No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that LWILLIAM I-I. CAsrLE, of Weedsport, in the county of Cayuga, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bicycles, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to bicycles, having more particular reference to the mount for a handle-bar.

My object is to improve upon the construction of mounts for handle-bars, which shall impart a. resiliency to the bar, so that when in use it will be relieved of the jar which is incident to an ordinary handle-bar; and my further object is to provide suitable means for adjusting the bars to any angle desired or even drop them down entirely, so that they will lie against the fork and thereby occupy a minimum amount of space when desired to store away or ship; and to that end my invention consists in the several new and novel features of construction and operation,which are hereinafter described, and specifically set forth in the claim hereunto annexed. It is constructed as follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front view of a handle-bar mount. Fig. 2 is a rear view thereof, showing the handle-bars secured thereto adjustably, the bars being broken away. Fig. 3 is a section on line X X on Fig. 2. Fig. 4c is a section on line Y Y on Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.-

a is the steering-post, usually adapted to be mounted in the fork in the ordinary way, and is provided at its upper end with a yielding neck a, terminating in a perforated disk or segment I). The neck a plays back and forth while the bicycle is in motion in a line with the length of the bicycle and at the same time has a slight vertical play. The compound movement caused by not only the vertical play, but the lateral movement of the neck a, prevents any jarring upon the handles. A more vertical play is not sufficient for this purpose, and hence two movements are absolutelyiiecessary, I) being the perforations for the purposes hereinafter set forth.

Upon the upper end of the post a is mounted a supporting-strap c, slotted vertically at its upper end, as shown at c, and dis a screw securing the upper end of the strap a to the lower edge of the segment I), the screw engaging with the strap and the slotway c.

The strap 0 forms a spring-brace'upon the neck a and serves to prevent an excess of movement upon the part of the neck. When the screw (1 is not tightened, a slot through the upper end of the strap allows a free vibration or play to the handles; but theamount of this vibration can be limited by tightening the screw.

e are the handle-bars, provided with fixtures f at their inner ends,which are rotatively secured to the disk or segment I), the fixture f being provided at its end with an aperture f, through which it is secured to the segment 1) by the bolt 9. Within the fixture f is an opening h, in which is mounted a springactuated post l, the said post being slightly tapered toward its outer end to fit the correspondingly-tapered opening I).

m is the lever, actuated by a spring n, one end of which lever m engages with the pin 0?. for the purpose of operating it.

It will be observed that when the handlebars are in use and the cycle is moving a resiliency will be imparted to the handle-bars by means of the spring or resiliency in the neck a and that the neck will be supported by the strap '0, and as the handle-bars move to and fro the screw 01 will travel in slotway c. It will also be observed that the handle-bars may be raised or lowered by pressing upon the lever m, throwing the post Z out of engagement with the perforations b',when the handle-bars may be placed in any angle desired and held there by again allowing the post to come into engagement with any of the perforations upon the segment.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Pat ent, is-- A steering-post having a yielding neck upon its upper end, means for securing the handlebars thereto, and an auxiliary supportingstrap slotted at its upper end, and a clamping-screw for limiting the amount of movement, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 25th day of September, 1896.

WILLIAM H. CASTLE.

In presence of MARY A. FRANKLIN, HOWARD P. DEuIsoN. 

